The graph above shows that the correlation between the breakeven inflation rate and oil prices is not limited to the steep decline that occurred in 2014. Indeed, the correlation between the two series over the entire period shown (January 2011 through March 2019) is 0.65. Prior to 2015, the two series appear to occasionally move together. The comovement was particularly obvious when the two series exhibited large changes, rising together in early 2011, falling together in late 2011, etc. From January 2011 to January 2015, the correlation between the series was 0.49. From January 2015 to March 2019, the correlation between the two series became even more apparent, rising to 0.85. A few academic papers have tried to analyze the cause of the comovement, but the high degree of correlation between the two series remains puzzling. Even if changes in oil prices pass through to consumer prices, one wouldn’t expect such a close correspondence between oil prices today and consumer prices at a 5-year horizon.
15:21:58 (UTC)
Sat Aug 15, 2020